(Radio Iowa) — Governor Kim Reynolds says Iowans are united in grief and anger over the death of a black man on a Minneapolis street — and she’s promising to seek systemic change, including steps to address racial profiling. “I want all Iowans to know that I hear you,” Reynolds says. “I hear your frustration and I am committed to listening and having a respectful dialogue about what we need to address the injustices that are felt by so many and that might mean having some very uncomfortable and eye-opening discussions.” Iowa-Nebraska N-double-A-C-P president Betty Andrews says this is a perfect time to peacefully protest — but the goal needs to be new policy. “We need to address this legacy that started with America’s greatest sin: racism, slavery and all of its babies that have come since,” Andrews says.

The governor says she’ll be working with Andrews and others to develop a final, anti-racial profiling plan to present to the 2021 legislature. President Trump held a conference call with governors yesterday (Monday) and told them they’re being too weak and need to dominate the protesters, or they’ll look like a bunch of jerks. Governor Reynolds says she was not on the call with Trump and was at the time talking with Iowa mayors, thanking them for facilitating peaceful protests and asking what they need from the state in the days ahead. “I think you all know right now words matter,” Reynolds said. “We have to really be thoughtful about how we move forward and that’s where I’m working. That’s where I’m focusing my energy on.”

Governor Reynolds says peaceful protesters have a right to take a stand against injustice and she will not tolerate the lawless rioters who are trying to hijack that message.

(Radio Iowa) — The majority of votes for today’s (Tuesday’s) Primary Election have already been cast by absentee ballot — and there’s been a huge shift in party affiliation. For the first time in years, independent or “no party” voters are no longer the largest voting block in the state. Independents have dropped to third behind Democrats and Republicans. Secretary of State Paul Pate is the state’s commissioner of elections. “I’m sure a lot of people will be analyzing this one to figure it all out, but it was pretty even,” Pate says. “Republicans increased by about 36,000 and the Democrats increased by about 31,000 of new registered voters.”

In the fourth congressional district, where Congressman Steve King faces a primary challenge, more than 12-thousand residents joined the ranks of Republicans in order to vote in the primary. In the third congressional district, Democrats gained nine-thousand and Republicans 85-hundred.

Pate mailed an absentee ballot request form to every registered voter in the state, to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 at Primary Day polling places. Pate advises voters to check with their county auditor or go online to voterready.iowa.gov to confirm their polling place, as many counties have consolidated sites. Pate says many auditors were able to put polling sites in schools. “Partly because they’re closed. You know, there are no classes and they were accessible,” Pate says. “They have more options and flexibility for social distancing, also parking is available and it’s handicapped acceptable, so it’s kind of the gold standard. It’s got everything you would want in a perfect polling location.”

The polls are open from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. That’s the curfew time in Polk County, Scott County and Council Bluffs. Pate’s office has advised county officials that traveling home after voting is not a violation of curfews. By Monday morning, 77 percent of the absentee ballots requested had been received by county auditors. That’s nearly 376-thousand ballots — and more are expected to be delivered today (Tuesday) as some voters waited until Monday to mail their ballot in. “Definitely a record breaker,” Pate says.

Iowans who got an absentee ballot but failed to fill it out and mail it on time have two options. They can fill it out and drop it off at their county auditor’s office before 9 p.m. OR they can take the unused ballot to their voting precinct, hand it over to a poll worker, and get a new ballot to vote at the precinct.

(Radio Iowa) — The two top Democrats in the Iowa legislature are calling on Republicans who control the debate agenda to take action on criminal justice reform when the 2020 legislative session resumes Wednesday. Senate Democratic Leader Janet Petersen of Des Moines says that includes Republican Governor Kim Reynolds’ long-term push to automatically grant voting rights to felons who’ve served their time. “The events that unfolded over the weekend show that Iowans want to advance equality and racial justice in our state,” Petersen says, “and while Senate Democrats plan to come back into session to balance a budget and deal with COVID recovery, I also believe the time is now for us to address racial injustices.”

Petersen says she’d like to see action on a bill aimed at curbing racial profiling by police. A bill that stalled in the legislature in 2018 would have created a state community policing advisory board and collected data from state and local law enforcement stops. House Democratic Leader Todd Prichard of Charles City says as a former prosecutor, says law enforcement is most successful when they collaborate rather than confront the communities they’re policing. “We do a lot of things right, but we have an opportunity to improve and maybe be a nation leader in community policing,” Prichard says.

Reducing sentences for marijuana possession and non-violent drug crimes should also be considered, Prichard says.  “We’ve had a lot of talk, but not enough action,” Prichard says. “The numbers kind of bear out that we haven’t acted enough if you look at some of the disparities in the numbers.” Although less than four percent of Iowa’s population is black, nearly 25-and-a-half percent of the inmates in state prisons are black.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa primary voters are deciding Tuesday whether Republicans will stick with conservative lightning rod Steve King in the state’s conservative northwest after a series of setbacks for the congressman known for incendiary remarks about immigrants and white supremacy. Stripped of his committee assignments and national Republican campaign backing, King faces five challengers including one backed by the GOP establishment. Meanwhile, Des Moines businesswoman Theresa Greenfield soaking up attention and money in the four way Democratic primary to challenge Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, whose approval has slipped in the last year.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines police are investigating the death of a man on the city’s south side as a homicide. Police were call about 5:40 p.m. Monday to a home to investigate a report of a suicide. The officers who arrived found the body of an adult man but police say the death didn’t appear to be a suicide. Detectives were investigating the death as a homicide. Police say it’s the 12th homicide in Des Moines this year.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Relatives of a 22-year-old woman say she was shot and killed while leaving a protest against police brutality outside a Walmart store in Davenport. Italia Marie Kelly was one of two people fatally shot overnight as civil unrest roiled the city. Kelly’s aunt says she joined a protest late Sunday over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Police say they are investigating the circumstances surrounding Kelly’s death. No arrests have been made. Police say dozens of people gathered at a mall late Sunday then fanned out across Davenport, firing guns and damaging businesses. One officer was wounded in a shooting.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Four relatively unknown Iowa Democrats are competing in a primary Tuesday to take on Republican Sen. Joni Ernst. The endeavor was once viewed as a long shot. But Ernst’s slip in approval and the rallying of Iowa and national Democrats behind one of the four has the race receiving a second look. For now, Ernst still is in a strong position heading into the fall. But as Democrats are increasingly bullish about their prospects in places such as Arizona and Colorado, the Iowa race is getting renewed attention as a potential battleground that could help the party regain the Senate majority.

The Atlantic City Council has a full slate of business in store for their meeting 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, at City Hall. Among the matters to come before them, is a Resolution adopting a 28-E (Cost sharing) agreement between the City, Cass County Health System (CCHS) and the County, to jointly finance Emergency Medical Services within the City of Atlantic and rural Cass County. The three entities will split into thirds, the cost of the service. Currently, the City employs Medivac to provide ambulance and EMS service. That contract will expire on June 30th.

City Administrator John Lund says there has been a consensus among first responders and medical professionals, that the scope of EMS needs to expand in order to reduce the risk of service limitations during peak demand, and to promote quality improvement. Lund says while they are satisfied with Medivac, it is also understood that a $92,000 service for a single ambulance covering a county of 12,930 people and over 565 square miles, was not going to be sufficient. Proposals were received from Medivac and Midwest Medical. Lund says the proposal from Medivac could not be financed between the parties without severe budget cuts. Therefore Midwest Medical was determined to be the best option.

With the agreement, Midwest Medical would assign two Advanced Life Support (ALS) Ambulances which will be staffed 24/7. ALS ambulances will comply with Iowa Dept. of EMS regulations and maintain proper certification(s); ALS ambulances must be fully capable of responding to 9-1-1 calls for service within the County, including CCHS, and the ambulances must be marked with logos as designed by the City, County and Hospital, if those entities so desire. Following action on the 28-E agreement, the Council, Wednesday, will act on a Resolution Approving an Ambulance Services Agreement with Midwest Medical.

In other business, the Council will hold the first reading of an Ordinance amending the fee the Atlantic Animal Shelter charges, under an order from the Iowa Dept. of Agriculture & Land Stewardship that requires all animal shelters, pet shops, rescues and similar facilities to vaccinate all animals with age appropriate vaccinations if those animals are not proven to have already been vaccinated, once the facility takes ownership of the animals. For the Atlantic Animal Shelter, that means those animals over six-months of age that are not claimed by an owner within three days of arrival at the shelter, must be vaccinated against the Parvo Virus, Distemper, and Rabies. Animals under six-months of age will need everything except a rabies vaccination. No animal shall be adopted, returned to its owner or transferred to another facility without age required vaccinations, under the State Order. The cost for vaccinations can vary from $13 to $60 and more. Those expenses are passed on to the adoptee. If the City fails to follow the required action, and fails to provide proof of compliance, the shelter will be closed.

The Atlantic City Council will also hear a report from Police Chief Dave Erickson with regard to Vehicle Code Enforcement and a number of complaints the City has received with regard to property violations and vehicles. 21 of the complaints are with regard to vehicles. Code Enforcement Officer Kris Erickson will also provide a report on Junk and efforts to enforce the City’s lawn mowing (Grass Code) Ordinance, including 55 complaints on those matters. And finally, Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones is expected to announce a Fireworks display will take place Friday, July 3rd, but the Flight Breakfast will not be held this year. The City is working with the Rotary on financing for the Fireworks. If the event should need to be postponed due to COVID-19, or the weather, the make-up date will be the Friday before Labor Day.

If you wish to join the meeting via Zoom, use this link, and mute your microphone during the session unless you wish to speak during the public forum portion of the meeting.

Officials with Pottawattamie County Public Health, Monday, confirmed 22 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, May 30th, four new cases on Sunday, May 31st, and nine new cases on Monday, June 1st, for a total of 35. Of the newly reported cases, two individuals are from Treynor, two are from Carter Lake, and one from each Neola, Oakland, McClelland, and Underwood. Those individuals were tested between May 15th ad 30th.

PCPH says so far, 3.278 Pottawattamie County residents have been tested for COVID-19, and a total of 307 have tested positive. An additional nine people have recovered, bringing the total (as of Monday), to 161. At last report, eight individuals are hospitalized, and 123 are self-isolating. A total of 88 Pott. County COVID-19 cases are the result of community spread, according to contact tracing investigations.

UPDATE:  Both juveniles were located and returned safely to Children’s Square.

Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department, Monday evening, said that at around 5:42-p.m, staff with Children’s Square reported two juvenile males missing from the shelter. The two juveniles are Andrew RICHER, an 11 year old Hispanic male, who last seen wearing a red shirt and black shorts, and Tattum ABITZ, an 8 year old male, last seen wearing a black shirt and gray sweatpants.

Anyone with information on their whereabouts please contact the Council Bluffs Police at 712-328-5737.

Police in Red Oak were dispatched at around 5:33-p.m. Monday (6/1), to the area of 8th and Joy Streets, for a reported fight in progress. Upon investigation, officers cited two juveniles into Juvenile Court, on charges of Disorderly Conduct.

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies assisted Red Oak Police in handling the incident.

The Atlantic Police Department issued a statement Monday evening with regard to a threat Atlantic Walmart officials say they received. Store representatives said they would be taking precautions immediately to ensure the safety of their business and employees. The store was closed at 5-p.m. in response to the threat. The Atlantic Police Department and Cass County Sheriff’s Office have followed-up on the information given to authorities, and have found NO DIRECT THREAT was made to the local store.

Information was shared on a social media platform warning Atlantic residents to be weary of the possibility of an incident occurring. That information authorities say, was taken from a generalized post that has been circulating around social media outlets about protests and riots moving from the cities into the suburbs. Atlantic Police said the Atlantic Walmart Store will continue to be closed for the evening, and local law enforcement agencies will be on alert and diligently respond to situations, should they arise.

The Council Bluffs Police Department said Monday afternoon, three interstate exit ramps are now closed. Authorities previously thought there were only going to be two closed. The closed exits are: West Broadway from I480, 9th Avenue from I29 southbound and Nebraska Avenue from I29 southbound. If you need to travel in this area, please consider an alternate route, such as South 24th Street or Avenue G to reach your destination. Click here for more info: https://hb.511ia.org/….